Ninety percent of our gasoline is still controlled by oil companies. The price our drivers pay at the pump of a gallon is largely determined by the price of those companies, which in turn is driven by global markets and our friends at OPEC. So the real issue isn’t whether the US produces more oil – it’s whether or not the US has an alternative to oil.

In 2011, North Carolinians spent nearly 7 percent of their incomes on gasoline, compared with the national average of 4 percent. With a median household income in the state of $46,291, family spending on gas reaches more than $3,000 every year.

Fuels America – a coalition of organizations committed to protecting America’s Renewable Fuel Standard – recently commissioned a poll to gauge how North Carolina consumers are affected by high and volatile gas prices. Nearly 4 in every 5 respondents, or 79 percent, believe that transitioning the state’s economy from one that depends on oil to one that depends on renewable fuel is a good idea.

That’s where renewable fuels comes in: Renewable fuel, which makes up nearly 10 percent of our current gasoline supply, is already saving consumers a big chunk of their take-home pay.

A study out of Louisiana State University credits the mix of renewable fuel in our gasoline with lowering the average price of a gallon by $0.79, and Iowa State University estimates the savings to be $1.09. Either way, that’s a significant savings — giving consumers more money to save or spend on their families.

Foreign oil imports are down 10 percent. Renewable fuels have added $40 billion to America’s gross domestic product. Consumers can fill their cars and trucks with blends from E15 to E85 in some parts of the country.

Ninety percent of our gasoline is still controlled by oil companies. The price our drivers pay at the pump of a gallon is largely determined by the price of those companies, which in turn is driven by global markets and our friends at OPEC. So the real issue isn’t whether the US produces more oil – it’s whether or not the US has an alternative to oil.

In 2011, North Carolinians spent nearly 7 percent of their incomes on gasoline, compared with the national average of 4 percent. With a median household income in the state of $46,291, family spending on gas reaches more than $3,000 every year.

Fuels America – a coalition of organizations committed to protecting America’s Renewable Fuel Standard – recently commissioned a poll to gauge how North Carolina consumers are affected by high and volatile gas prices. Nearly 4 in every 5 respondents, or 79 percent, believe that transitioning the state’s economy from one that depends on oil to one that depends on renewable fuel is a good idea.

That’s where renewable fuels comes in: Renewable fuel, which makes up nearly 10 percent of our current gasoline supply, is already saving consumers a big chunk of their take-home pay.

A study out of Louisiana State University credits the mix of renewable fuel in our gasoline with lowering the average price of a gallon by $0.79, and Iowa State University estimates the savings to be $1.09. Either way, that’s a significant savings — giving consumers more money to save or spend on their families.

Foreign oil imports are down 10 percent. Renewable fuels have added $40 billion to America’s gross domestic product. Consumers can fill their cars and trucks with blends from E15 to E85 in some parts of the country.

Federal policies like the RFS support this progress. It is the only policy working to create space in the oil-dominated fuel sector and moving us toward using more sustainable fuel sources.

The RFS is also a great way to help you save at the grocery store: Food and feed prices are driven by oil prices. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, 84 percent of retail food costs are derived from non-farm costs. In other words, 84 percent of the price of your corn at the grocery store pays for energy, labor, marketing, packaging, transportation and more – not that corn. Every part of that supply chain relies on oil, so changes in oil prices affect what you pay for that corn.

When the RFS was signed into law by President George W. Bush, it was envisioned as a two-part strategy: renewable fuel and technology companies would bring solutions to market, and oil companies would ensure drivers could use them.

We’ve done our part: renewable fuel is cheaper than gasoline and available nationwide, with advanced and cellulosic fuels beginning to flow now. But as energy analyst Daniel Dicker says “[Oil] refiners don’t make ethanol, so they’re not really all that happy about making E15. What they want to do is make gasoline because that’s what they make money off of.”

Today, 400,000 Americans are at work because of renewable fuel in good-paying, stable jobs – and advanced biofuels can help create 800,000 more. Advanced renewable fuel facilities are operating in more than 22 states.

North Carolina is the headquarters for Novozymes North America. With more than 500 employees, our Franklinton site is the largest multi-purpose enzyme manufacturing plant in the United States. Enzymes are a key technology for conversion of plants and waste to renewable fuels.

Chemtex International, based in Wilmington, is also in the development stages of a new biorefinery that is expected to be operational by mid-2015. The plan will use up to 300,000 tons of biomass and create new jobs in our state. North Carolina is emerging as a leader in advanced renewable fuel technology.

Bottom line: the RFS is working. The policy is critical to allowing North Carolinians the opportunity to have fuel diversity and lower gas prices. Let’s let it work.